In 2025, our inaugural Voice of the US CMO report gave marketing leaders a clear, data-backed read on how their peers were navigating AI, brand activism, and marketing measurement. The 2026 edition tracks what’s changed then pairs it with consumer data showing where CMO instincts and customer expectations line up, and where they don’t.

Use it to benchmark your strategy against 500 of your peers, and make your next move with data instead of guesswork.

Inside, you’ll find hard numbers and practical takeaways on the three things shaping marketing right now:

AI
AI adoption is basically universal, but usage and enthusiasm are cooling. CMOs are dialing back automation and leaning back into human judgment, while consumers remain far less comfortable with AI-generated content than CMOs assume.

BRAND DISCOVERY, ACTIVISM, AND CONNECTION
Generational habits are pulling brand discovery in different directions, and CMOs are going quieter on activism right as younger consumers expect brands to speak up louder. Playing it safe isn’t actually safe.

MEASURING MARKETING’S IMPACT
Budgets are tight and stakeholder trust is hard to win. The CMOs who’ve cracked it have one thing in common: they use market research to prove their strategy works.

If anything in this report raises questions worth digging into for your own brand, let’s talk.

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